What is a rang hood for? A range hood is mounted above the cooking surface in residential and commercial kitchens for the purpose of ventilating the air. When someone is cooking in an enclosed kitchen, byproducts like smoke, smells, grease and nitrogen dioxide clutter the air and can make the kitchen unpleasant. A kitchen range hood ventilates the air to the outside of the house and keeps the home fresh and safe for the residents cooking inside. Don’t forget to turn on the range hood whenever you’re cooking. If you are looking to purchase a new range hood, browse the wall mount range hoods, island range hoods and under cabinet range hoods on Range Hoods Inc.